Disabled Blue Badge permits and parking (FOI)

Request

A

How many Disabled Blue Badge permits issued and in date were there in Jersey for 2022?

B

How many Disabled Blue Badge permits issued and in date were there in Jersey from 1 January 2023 until 1 June 2023?

C

How many public and parish roads disabled parking spaces are there in St Helier?

D

How many public disabled parking spaces are there in Jersey including those administrated by Ports of Jersey?

E

What is the maximum penalty for those drivers of vehicles who illegally park in dedicated Blue Badge parking Zones?

F

When was such legislation for those who illegally misuse or park or use blue Badge parking zones last updated?

G

Is it correct that parochial honorary police cannot legally issue parking tickets on and in car parks belonging to the Government of Jersey and administered through the Infrastructure and Environment department?

H

With today's retired population doubling within 10 years or so are the Government updating legislation on disabled public parking and providing more disabled parking in St Helier to meet the increasing needs of the disabled drivers?

I

Will public street disabled parking zones cater for future electric vehicles by providing charging points?

J

What is the future 10-year plan for disabled parking in St Helier to meet the anticipated needs of a burgeoning elderly disabled population?

Response

A and B

The information requested is not held by the Government of Jersey, therefore Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies, however, it may be held by the Parishes, so you might wish to send your information request in writing to the parishes; the contact details are shown at the end of this response.  

C

In St Helier there are 109 disabled parking spaces on Infrastructure and parish roads.

D

The information  requested is not held, as these spaces are administered by Ports of Jersey, therefore Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. You may wish to send your information request in writing to Ports of Jersey; the contact details are shown at the end of this response.

It should be noted that Ports of Jersey is not a Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) under the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011, therefore, they are not required to respond.

E

Under the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956: Article 61- Wrongful use of disabled person’s badge’ a person who wrongfully used a blue badge when it is not entitled to be used shall be liable on conviction to a fine of level 2 on the standard scale (up to £1,000). Further to this if the person also commits an offence under ‘Article 65(2) - Offences relating to designated parking places’ (for example, overstaying time limit) then the person shall be liable on conviction to a fine of level 1 on the standard scale (up to £200). 

F

The provision was introduced in 1982 and fine levels were changed in 2016.

G

Infrastructure and Environment as the “controlling body” is responsible via its Parking Control Officers for enforcement in all the chargeable car parks located in St Helier and St Brelade. The remaining public car parks around the island are policed by the various Parishes. 

H

The Department periodically reviews demand for disabled parking; however, this is not linked to age of population projection, rather a pragmatic assessment of developing usage and demand patterns. 

I

The Government of Jersey is currently working with its partners at Jersey Electricity to increase the charging network and availability to all user groups. However, this will be done on a site-by-site basis taking account of physical and logistical constraints. There is no specific time scale to this.  

J

The Department periodically reviews demand for disabled parking.

Parishes:

FOI@comite.je

Or by post to:   

Parish FOI, East Wing, RJA & HS, Trinity, JE3 5JP

You can also find out more about making an FOI request to the parishes at

How to Make an FOI Request | Comité des Connétables (comite.je)

Ports of Jersey:

ask@ports.je

or by post to: 

Ports of Jersey, St Peter, Jersey, JE1 1BY

Article applied

Article 3 Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.